In the field of healthcare, communication failures have been identified as a top underlying cause of events resulting in death or serious injury to patients while under hospital care. In particular, communication between patient and caregiver is critical to timely assessment, accurate diagnosis, and proper treatment. When lapses in communication occur, patients may lose their “rights” to be informed of their medical status and to be involved in the decision making process of treatment. Furthermore, patient discomfort may increase, quality of life may decrease, hospital stays may be lengthened, and in some extreme cases, death may occur. Barriers to communication may occur in many forms, such as new physical disabilities caused by traumatic injury or preexisting cognitive disabilities. As many as 157,600 patients with common communication disabling disorders are treated in U.S. hospitals each year.
Within a hospital or assisted living facility, patients require access to nurse call equipment. Standard nurse call equipment, such as pillow speakers and call cords, require function of a patient's hands to activate. In many cases, these patients' specific disabilities do not allow them this function. The term “complex communications needs” (CCN) is commonly used to refer to the needs of such severely disabled patients. The importance of providing access to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) equipment for patients with CCN to allow them to communicate with a nurse is well documented. Furthermore, studies have indicated that more reliable and effective nurse call equipment can both improve patient care and reduce the burden of care placed on nurses.
In response to the need for AAC, numerous commercial devices have been developed and research studies conducted. State of the art adaptive technologies for persons with CCN rely on some function of voluntary muscles innervated by cranial nerves. Of devices designed for hospital nurse call, inhalation and exhalation controlled sip-and-puff and pressure pad switches that are typically placed on the shoulder and activated by lateral head movements are the most common commercially available devices.
While existing technologies provide some relief for nurse call communication difficulties, the problem remains largely unresolved. Immobilized patients are frequently repositioned to prevent pressure sores, and others are mechanically ventilated or intubated with large masks over their face. Pressure switches are insensitive even when they work properly, but often fall or move on the patient. Access to the mouth for a sip-and-puff sensor is blocked by intubation or ventilation. Verbal communication is often impossible for this reason or due to an existing speech disability. Even eye tracking may require lengthy repositioning and setup of equipment with each change in the patient's position.
In view of the foregoing, it is desired to provide improved systems and methods for communicating with healthcare personnel.